HPMC to sell its land at Kundli

Tribune News Service

Shimla, May 23

The issue of sale of land worth crores owned by the Himachal Pradesh Horticultural Marketing and Processing Corporation (HPMC) at Kundli near Delhi will finally be placed before the Cabinet.

A decision to take the matter to the Cabinet was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Secretary P Mitra here yesterday. The 2.88 acres of land was bought way back in 1976 with the objective of setting up cold storage and providing a marketing yard for benefit of growers who brought their produce, mainly apples, for sale to Delhi.

The land, which has been lying idle, was bought for a mere Rs 2.25 lakh, but it is likely to fetch anywhere between Rs 8 crore and 10 crore even if it is sold at government-approved market rates.

Officials said since the possibility of the land being put to any use was almost ruled out, it was worthwhile to sell it. The possibility of the land being encroached upon is high.

A decision to sell this chunk of land was taken during the BJP regime in 2009 too. However, the sale could not be completed then. It has been decided to take a final call on it. The HPMC is incurring an expenditure of about Rs 10 lakh annually on it as a boundary wall has been erected and a guard posted there.

It is being felt that the HPMC, which has been in poor financial health, must sell the land and improve its health. However, since the HPMC is a corporation, the government will have to pay a heavy amount as Income Tax. There is also a move that the land must be transferred in the name of the government, which will not have to pay these charges.

The Himachal Pradesh Horticultural Marketing and Processing Corporation also has 3 acres of land, taken on lease from the West Bengal government in 1985-86.

Efforts were made in the past to put this land to good use so that some income could come to the state government. It is a very prime piece of land, with its value anywhere between Rs 100 crore and 150 crore.

However, as of now, the Himachal Pradesh Horticultural Marketing and Processing Corporation is keen that the Cabinet nod for sale of the land at Kundli, if obtained, and a proposal for the land in Kolkata, would be prepared later.